The best RPGs for Android

Role Playing Games - better known as RPGs - give you the chance to fully immerse yourself in the fantasy world of your choice. You can spend hours developing the stats of your character, crawling dungeons or sailing the high seas as a pirate. While there are countless RPGs on Android, finding out which ones are really worth your time isn't an easy task. Don't worry though - we're doing the hard work for you with this detailed list of the best RPG games for Android available today.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - DC

The best cyberpunk RPG for Android

We loved Shadowrun Returns for Android, and the next game in the series, Dragonfall, is a slick cyberpunk classic, set in a fantastic version of AndroidPIT's home base, Berlin (the DC stands for 'Directors Cut' not the US capital). In a world where fantasy races like orcs, elves, and trolls co-exist with humanity in a world of high-tech and magic, Shadowrun: Dragonfall combines a compelling storyline with a complex but rewarding turn-based combat system.

RPG fans tired of traditional swords and sorcery would do well to give the Shadowrun games a try, and spice up the fantasy stew with rifles, hacking, and cool hair. Here's to hoping that the third game in the series, set in Hong Kong, also makes it to Android.

Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition

The best D&D RPG for Android

This is one of the greatest RPG sagas ever to exist on the PC, and it's right at home on touchscreen devices, with graphical and convenience enhancements and new content courtesy of Beamdog. Create your hero, escape from the clutches of the evil wizard Irenicus, recruit from a pool of memorable companions and then wander across a vast world in search of revenge and adventure.

Baldur's Gate II is the most faithful representation of AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) rules on electronic devices, so it's not for the faint-hearted. That said, it's definitely the richest role-playing experience you can get on Android.

Players looking for the complete hero's journey from a puny level 1 nobody to near demigod levels of power should also picking up Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, the first game in the series. While not quite as well-designed as the sequel, they combine to create a uniquely epic experience.

Lineage II: Revolution

New MMORPG with great graphics

Lineage II: Revolution is a mobile version of a hugely popular Korean MMORPG, a genre most familiar in the West from World of Warcraft and Everquest. Netmarble have really been pushing their mobile game internationally with high-budget ads (how much does Conan O'Brien go for nowadays?), and I checked out Lineage II: Revolution to get a taste of the game beyond the hype.

Visually lush and richly detailed, it's a sumptuous feast for the eyes and boasts of epic battles with over 100 fighters on the field of battle, or defending a fortress.

There's a strong social element where able to join clans and fight alongside your buddies against your rivals. RPG class and race character options are pretty traditional - be a human warrior, elven mystic, etc, but there are higher level options that unlock additional professions. Annoyingly, the different races are currently gender-locked. You can't be a female human, or a male elf, for example. Still, all the character models are rendered beautifully in the Unreal engine, provided that the art style is to your taste.

Currently Netmarble are still celebrating their launch to new markets with various rewards for logging in and so there's a chance to get in early to this MMO and rise to power in this seriously pretty fantasy world before the first players start to dominate. If you're going to fight to the top though, be prepared to grind—a lot—or shell out for those ubiquitous in-app purchases. The game is aware of this, and has an auto-quest mode for repetitive tasks.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The best Star Wars RPG for Android

Affectionately known as KOTOR, this classic title isn't just the best Star Wars RPG on Android, but in my humble opinion, the best mobile Star Wars game of any genre, hands down. The storyline, set millennia before Star Wars: A New Hope, has your hero embroiled in a galactic conflict (like some kind of war...in the stars?) between the republic and evil Sith empire.

As fitting for a Star Wars story, the players relationship with the light and dark sides of the force play a central role, and you're free to be as noble or villainous as you wish, with an eye on snagging all those cool jedi abilities you want. The combat mechanics are dice-based but the integration is smooth and the game controls are well implemented on the touchscreen.15 years after it's release, KOTOR still holds up as one of the best RPGs you can play on your mobile device today.

Tempest

The best pirate RPG for Android

While most RPGs are often situated in fantasy worlds, Tempest stands out as an individual for being set in the pirate realm. You'll fight against other pirates on the high seas, fulfilling quests and earning better ships with more skilled crews.

The controls for this open world game are quite complex when you start out, but you can easily master these after a few minutes of actual gameplay. The difficulty level is quite high at the moment, which doesn't help when it comes to earning money - which you'll need in order to improve your equipment and solve harder missions. You'll be more than compensated for this by this RPG's fantastic graphics and long playability.

Pocket Mortys

The best Pokemon alternative

You don't need to be a fan of the Adult Swim series "Rick and Morty" to play this game, though it does help. Admittedly, there's no real gameplay aside from the "fight system", but for those who enjoy a Pokemon-like gameplay which relies heavily on collecting characters and fighting will get a real kick out of this game. You'll spend most of your time training up your "Mortys" and letting them fight against other Mortys. It's a simple "level up" game which can get a bit boring over time, but it has a strong replay value thanks to its humor and style

Walking Dead: Road to Survival

The best Android turn based tactical RPG

The developers at Telltale Games impressively demonstrated how well the popular The Walking Dead series can be used as the basis for a video game. Walking Dead: Road to Survival is a free Android game, in which you'll spend a lot of time establishing your own base. The game mechanics are quite reminiscent of that of the Simpsons: Tapped out. Don't worry though, you'll also spend enough time fighting against the undead. The fights are turn based but they are well rounded and manage to stay interesting for extended gameplay.

You'll only be successful in this game if you can tactically plan your attacks. Throughout the game, you'll find new weapons and equipment which will help you in the fight against increasingly more difficult enemies. Good graphics with a long replay value make this a strong RPG. As an added bonus, the game includes a multiplayer mode where you can can compete against other players.

Knights of Pen and Paper 2

The best Android-RPG for Retro-Fans

Knights of Pen and Paper 2 combines real world "role playing" with the virtual one. The game focuses on a group of RPG fans who have gathered to play a game similar to Dungeons & Dragons. When you play this free-to-play game, you'll always see the group's actions, as well as those of the Dungeon Master. This interesting game play mechanic gives the game a charming old school atmosphere, which is underlined the now rather common retro pixel look.

Heroes and Castles 2

The best action and strategy RPG for Android

Heroes and Castles 2 manages to successfully combine strategy, action and role playing into one game. In this action adventure RPG, you don't just build castles, but also jump straight into battles and unlock new skills. The game is quite expansive and has solid controls, but what really makes the difference for me is the "right in the middle" feeling that you get. If you're into movies like Braveheart or Kingdom of Heaven, then this is the RPG for you.

The Banner Saga

The Android RPG with the best storyline

The old school role playing game The Banner Saga doesn't just have an exciting storyline which forces you to make difficult decisions, it also has a challenging turn based fighting system. Other plus points are the solid graphics and the great soundtrack, which does a good job complementing the atmosphere of the game.

The Banner Saga's engrossing tale of gritty survival, conflict and hope will always give it a special place in my heart, and fans who complete the game would be well advised to also try the sequel, Banner Saga 2.